Bruce Gilbert, Graham Lewis, Colin Newman and Robert Gotobed's output as Wire is being surveyed in a huge book by Wilson Neate, author of the 33 1/3 book on Wire's Pink Flag.

In his intro, in the spirit of Wire's negative rule set ("No solos; no decoration; when the words run out, it stops; we don’t chorus out; no rocking out; keep it to the point; no Americanisms.") Neate states that the book was not read, vetted or approved by the group; that it is not a biography of the group, or about their solo projects; that it does not provide a comprehensive discography or forensically dissect Wire's back catalogue.

What it does include is the result of over 100 hours of interviews plus email correspondence, conducted between 2007–2011 (after Gilbert's departure in 2004) with Gilbert, Lewis, Newman and Gotobed, plus others associated with the group. The page count is as yet unconfirmed - all we know is that it's going to be big (400 pages plus) (320 pages according to Amazon). The foreword is by Minuteman Mike Watt.

Read & Burn: A Book About Wire is scheduled for release in March, covering the group's inception in 1977 up to the present day. More details incoming on the Jawbone site.

Perverse though it may seem, but I'm as much looking forward to this book as I am to Change Becomes Us. The 33 1/3 Pink Flag book is superb: so good to read an intelligent, eloquent and incisive appraisal of a favourite piece of art (yes!). Wilson Neate gets it right. You can guess which 'bundle' I've gone for...

"it does not provide a comprehensive discography or forensically dissect Wire's back catalogue"

So there is still that Wire-o-pedia to be written. I'd love a book with all the geeky details, set lists, kit lists, session details, artwork, rare pics, posters, flyers, tickets etc. All the visual history of the band that you don't get just from listening to the music or reading the interviews. If anyone is looking for a project there's one right there ;)

(Not that I'm not hugely looking forward to Wilson's book, it sounds terrific and I thoroughly enjoyed his little Pink Flag book)

This just in from my order at Amazon UK:Unfortunately, the release date for the item(s) listed below was changed by the supplier, and we need to provide you with a new estimated delivery date based on the new release date:

I must say I'm about half way through, and thoroughly engrossed in Wilson's book.***** SPOILER ALERT *****

It doesn't pull any punches and he delves deep into the conflicting forces and dynamics within Wire. I'm amazed some of those records got made, and it's interesting to learn how the different egos in the band shaped the music. Things I thought were Colin turned out to be Bruce and vice versa and so on. It's not afraid to face up to the fact that some damage was done by the anti commercial stance of not playing old tunes, especially in the 80s...although I have a hunch if things had gone better Red Barked Tree and CBU wouldn't have happened.

Wilson's obviously a big fan but this isn't gushing, uncritical fanboy stuff. Far from it.You may not agree with all the opinions (he's wrong about IBTABA, that's my favourite Wire MK 2 album) but it's authoritatively written by someone who knows his stuff!

Best of all it does what all the best music writing does, it makes you want to revisit the records again and throws fresh insight into something I thought I knew everything there was to know about.

It compliments, rather than replaces Kevin's book which covers particularly the solo works between Wire mk1 and 2 which (as he warns in his intro) Wilson only mentions in passing, and Kevin captured Wire in a different time and space. How about a Kindle Edition of '...History'?

Only just started but had a peek in the index and relevant chapter - there doesn't seem to be anything on the Hafler Trio/Wir 12" "The First Last Number". Is there any account of how this came about and how it came to be completed? In response to the old Over/Under thread this has to be the underrated track for me seeing as it's pretty scarce - and I adore it.

> Would love to see that happen but SAF are no longer in business and as it stands it is both out of date and in need of some amendments/updates/additions.

Regarding the first, I would assume the copyright has reverted back to you, especially if the publisher is dead, so there should be no issue there about putting it out thru Amazon as e-only or a POD house like Lulu.com. As to the second, well, that's the real work.

The book is great. Lots of information and also lots of information that make me want to commit immediate suicide – in parts it's a rather depressing book actually. Which, of course, isn't Wilson's fault, but boils down to 4 rather creative individuals trying to work together. Which not always works out. :-) After having read the book I'm more than glad they're still here, releasing records and things!